Letter to the Editor: Honor Hill Memorial Marker means a lot to families

Published
12:00 am EDT, Sunday, June 10, 2018

On Memorial Day, my family and I attended a very special ceremony in the Honor Hill section of Hamden. “The Honor Hill Memorial Marker Dedication” was the culmination of months of tireless effort by the residents of Honor Hill to memorialize the sacrifice of five sons of Hamden who gave their lives in service to our country during the Vietnam War. Major Pierce Robertson, Capt. Oscar Biehl Jr., Specialist 4th Class Ralph Costanzo, Corporal Donald Porter and Corporal Robert Read, were all killed in action between 1966 and 1968, while serving in the U.S. Army. My uncle, Maj. Robertson, died while piloting a helicopter as part of the 1st Calvary Division. Few, if any, of the Honor Hill residents knew these men firsthand. However, that did not deter them from commemorating their sacrifice with this solemn stone marker.

The deepest concern of any family member whose loved one has died fighting for our country is that their sacrifice will be forgotten as the years go by. It is a tremendous consolation to our family that, thanks to the efforts of residents of Honor Hill, my uncle’s sacrifice, as well as the sacrifice of his four brothers-in-arms, will be forever memorialized by this beautiful stone marker. The Dunn family sends our deepest gratitude to the residents of Honor Hill, and in particular Dave Johnson and Cliff Pollack, who spearheaded this project. Lastly, a heartfelt thank you to John Nolan of Nolan’s Hamden Monument Company, who generously donated the marker, and to the Hamden Veterans Commission, who provided invaluable assistance. May God Bless the souls of these brave men and all the other citizens of Hamden who paid with their lives to ensure our freedom.